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TASTEFUL RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Savor Dallas Welcomes Guests March 6 to The Sheraton Dallas with Even More Green Features at the Sixth Annual Culinary, Wine and Spirits Event
DALLAS March 1, 2010 As hundreds of wine, spirits and food enthusiasts look forward to this weekend's Savor Dallas International Grand Tasting, they can be assured that their experience at this year's venue has more environmentally responsible features than ever.
Along with a having a host venue with healthy environmental systems, all bottles for wine and water will be recycled, and a Savor Dallas Shuttle for transportation has been successfully received at full capacity.
Guests from Metroplex suburbs are attending the March 6 International Grand Tasting on Saturday, March 6 with complimentary transportation from select restaurants to the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, courtesy of Savor Dallas and Centennial Fine Wine and Spirits. Supporting responsible consumption and an ecofriendly alternative, this shuttle service is has been well received, with all seats full.
"The community has been very responsive to the Savor Dallas Shuttle in year two," said Savor Dallas co-founder Jim White. "We are looking to expanding the program next year."
Segways are a feature of green operations transportation at The Sheraton Dallas, Savor Dallas 2010's host venue for the International Grand Tasting and other highly anticipated events on March 6. Pictured here at the entrance to the Sheraton's Lone Star Ballroom (left to right) are Sheraton Dallas General Manager Ray Hammer; Savor Dallas President and Co-Founder Jim White; Sheraton Dallas Executive Chef Michael Braun; DowntownDallas President John Crawford; Savor Dallas Co-Founder Vicki Briley-White; Sheraton Dallas Director of Food and Beverage John Northcutt; and Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau President Phillip Jones. The group met in February to talk about the annual Savor Dallas event that brings hundreds annually to the Arts District and Downtown Dallas from Texas and across the United States.
The focal point of the Savor Dallas weekend, The International Grand Tasting (March 6, 7 to 10 pm) is held in The Lone Star Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas featuring a sampling of signature recipes from more than 60 of Dallas Fort Worth's "Star Chefs." Additionally, guests can choose from 400-plus premium wine varietals, top shelf cocktails and hand crafted beer and ales.
Additionally, The Sheraton Dallas Hotel brings many environmental benefits to the Savor Dallas experience as the new host venue for Savor Dallas, via the hotel's $90 million renovation completed in 2009:
- Recycling bins have been added to all public spaces and guest rooms. In conjunction with the manufacture of these bins, the Sheraton Dallas Hotel has sponsored and planted 1,000 trees in Brazil through the "Trees for the Future" program.
- The Sheraton Dallas Hotel has installed a new, energy-efficient laundry system designed to reduce water and sewer demands. The system consists of a tunnel washer that allows the hotel to clean 110 pounds of laundry every two-and-a-half minutes and has reduced the hotel's energy and water consumption by 70 percent.
- The hotel has introduced use of Segway transportation within the property. Executive Meeting Specialists and Loss Prevention staff travel throughout the hotel on this time-saving and environmentally-friendly transport.
- All guest rooms are equipped with smart thermostats that include both motion and infrared sensors, enabling the system to detect the presence of a guest in the room even when there is no constant movement. The system includes wireless interfacing from the hotel's Energy Management System computers for remote operation. As a result of this technology, HVAC run time in guest rooms has been reduced by 45.3 percent.
- The buffet table at the Sheraton's chef-driven restaurant The Kitchen Table is designed using the most current induction heating technology, resulting in less demand for canned fuel.
- Turbo cooking ovens that use both convection and high heat technology have been installed in all restaurant kitchens. These ovens are designed to reduce cooking time, limit energy consumption and have fewer ambient heat and ventilation requirements.
- The Sheraton's "Make A Green Choice" program, which rewards guests with their choice of 500 Sheraton Preferred Guest points or a $5 coupon for any of the hotel's restaurant venues when they choose not to have housekeeping attend to the room, is averaging a 17.2 participation rate. The program is limited to guests with a minimum two-night stay with a maximum three -day benefit per five-night stay.
A full list of the hotel's efforts is available at http://www.sheratondallashotel.com/green.
About Savor Dallas 2010
On Friday, March 5th, Savor Dallas celebrates the Arts District with the popular "Arts District Wine Stroll." Guests enjoy wine and food tastings in the beautiful Dallas Museum of Art - Seventeen Seventeen Restaurant; Meyerson Symphony Center; Nasher Sculpture Center; Winspear Opera House; and Wyly Theatre (from 5 - 7 pm).
The Sheraton Dallas Hotel is the focal point of all the fun activities on Saturday March 6th. The afternoon features a series of wine tasting seminars led by top experts. Then, a limited attendance "Reserve Tasting" featuring super premium wines and spirits is presented in the Sheraton's 38th floor Chaparral Club.
The gourmet highlight of the Savor Dallas weekend is the "International Grand Tasting" (March 6, 7 - 10pm). It's staged in The Lone Star Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas and features a sampling of signature cuisines from over 60 of Dallas-Fort Worth's "Star Chefs." Additionally, guests can choose from over 400 premium wine varietals, top shelf cocktails and hand-crafted beer and ales.
Savor Dallas donates proceeds from a fine wine silent auction to the North Texas Food Bank and funds a scholarship for a deserving high school student chef to attend culinary school, which is administered through the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association. The Art Department at Booker T. Washington High School receives profits from sales of Savor Dallas t-shirts and proceeds from the sale of student artwork at Savor Dallas.
For a complete schedule of events and list of participating restaurants, and to purchase tickets, go to www.savordallas.com or call 888-728-6747.
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